Whakatāne District Council has confirmed that the adoption of its Long Term Plan 2024-34 will take place at an Extraordinary Council meeting at 9am on Monday, 5 August 2024. The confirmation follows an unavoidable delay that pushed back the anticipated adoption from the 27 June Ordinary Council meeting.

The primary reason for the adoption delay was the coalition government’s about-face on Three Waters legislation late last year. The flow-on effect has been an extended independent audit process in the latter stages of plan development. Councils were given options to defer, delay or continue with their Long Term Plan development alongside a post-consultation audit. Whakatāne District Council chose to maintain its existing timeline to minimise potentially greater impacts of deferral or delay on its communities. 

The Council acknowledges the substantial workload faced by Audit New Zealand, as it has compressed numerous audits into tight schedules at the end of the Long Term Plan process that all councils must carry out. The audit is crucial to ensure every aspect of the plan is thoroughly reviewed, providing Whakatāne District communities with confidence in the plan's financial reliability and comprehensiveness.

Alongside a rigorous audit process, Fitch Ratings have assigned an AA- credit rating to Whakatāne District Council. This rating shows that the Council is financially stable and reliable. It recognises that the Council is considered capable of paying back its debts, which boosts confidence for its funding agency. This strong position can result in lower borrowing costs and interest rates, which reduces future cost impacts.

The Extraordinary Council meeting to formally adopt the Long Term Plan 2024-34 will take place in Room Tōtara (Council Chambers) at 9am, Monday, 5 August. Members of the public are welcome to attend in-person, or view via live stream when the link is available.